Weird West 04 - The Doctor and the Dinosaurs Read Online Free Page B

Undeterred, he charged the champion like a bull, and like a matador Sullivan stepped aside and landed a powerful blow on his ear that knocked him halfway across the ring.
    The entire first round went that way, and the crowd became increasingly silent, because the only mystery remaining was not who would win, but rather how much longer Smiley could stand up under Sullivan's sledgehammer blows.
    The bell rang for the second round, and Smiley approached Sullivan more cautiously this time. It made no difference. Sullivan ducked under a left, and delivered a powerful blow to Smiley's solar plexus. Smiley went down to one knee, in obvious pain, and as Roosevelt began counting Sullivan stepped in for the kill.
    Roosevelt pushed Sullivan back to give Smiley room, then resumed the count—but Sullivan's blood was up, and he took another swing at Smiley as the fallen boxer was attempting to rise.
    Roosevelt pushed him back again, more firmly this time. Sullivan bellowed an obscenity and, to the surprise of the crowd, he took a swing at Roosevelt.
    The Easterner ducked, threw a quick left that bloodied Sullivan's nose, and took his glasses off, folding them carefully and putting them in a breast pocket.
    “Your friend's gonna get it now!” said Holliday's companion excitedly.
    “Don't bet your last penny on it,” replied Holliday.
    Sullivan wiped the blood from his nose, roared with rage, and turned his full attention to Roosevelt. He yelled something at Roosevelt that Holliday couldn't hear, then swung a roundhouse right that would have almost beheaded him if it had landed, but Roosevelt ducked and landed a quick one-two punch to Sullivan's belly that doubled the champion over.
    “We chose the wrong man to fight against Sullivan!” cried a man who was standing a few feet behind Holliday.
    Roosevelt pointed to the timekeeper, who instantly realized what the referee wanted and rang the bell. That seemed to bring Sullivan to his senses, and he walked quickly to his corner, not even deigning to look at Roosevelt, who dropped to one knee beside Smiley and helped him to his corner. Then he approached Sullivan, said something to him, Sullivan nodded, and Roosevelt went back to the middle of the ring. The bell rang about forty seconds later, and the two fighters emerged from their corners. It was obvious that Smiley was still groggy, and it only took one punch—a right to the side of the head—for Sullivan to put him down for the count.
    Roosevelt raised Sullivan's hand, they spoke to each other for a moment, and then shook hands and parted.
    Sullivan collected a trophy and a check from one of the sponsors and strode off furiously to his dressing tent, while Roosevelt, noticing that Smiley was starting to awaken, helped him to his feet and led him out of the ring and down the stairs to ground level.
    As the two of them began walking away from the ring, they passed where Holliday was standing.
    “You should have beat the crap out of that pompous bastard, Theodore,” said Holliday.
    Roosevelt stopped and searched the faces until he found the one he sought.
    “Doc!” he exclaimed. “What are you doing here?”
    “Buy me a drink and I'll be happy to tell you,” said Holliday.
    “Sure,” said Roosevelt. “But not here. I've got a horse and buggy waiting. Let's go back to my hotel.”
    “Where are you staying?”
    “The Plains Hotel. And you?”
    “I haven't checked in yet,” said Holliday.
    “Where's your luggage?” asked Roosevelt.
    “Right here,” said Holliday, touching his gun and his flask in turn.
    “Well, we'll get you a room there,” said Roosevelt. “How long will you be in town?”
    “Just passing through.”
    “Where are you heading?”
    Holliday smiled. “That's what we're going to talk about.”
    They reached Roosevelt's horse and buggy, which also had a driver, and were sitting in the Plains Hotel's elegant bar ten minutes later.
    “Nice place,” noted Holliday, looking at the polished walls and